SUPPORT FOR CHILDREN AFFECTED BY MONSOON FLOODS IN NEPAL

Plan International is responding to the immediate needs of children in Nepal, following deadly flash floods and landslides.

Families struggle to carry their belongings through severe flooding in Rautahat district, Nepal.

Flash floods and landslides triggered by weeks of continuous heavy rainfall have rendered thousands of people in Nepal homeless and in desperate need of food, water, sanitation and shelter.

Monsoon rains in the southern plains of Nepal, in the Terai region, have claimed the lives of more than 100 people and displaced thousands of families whose homes have been destroyed or damaged.

Working in coordination with the District Disaster Rescue Committee, Plan International has started the distribution of food items and tarpaulins for temporary shelter in Rautahat district.

Plan International Ireland is now responding to the floods in Nepal through the Irish Aid ERFS funding stream. With the support from Irish Aid, Plan International Ireland will provide 1,125 family hygiene kits, 1,125 mosquito nets and 1,125 sleeping mats to 1,125 vulnerable households in Sunsari and Morang, two of the worst-affected districts in Nepal.

CHILDREN IN NEED OF SUPPORT

Plan International has started the distribution of food items and tarpaulins for temporary shelter in Rautahat district.

“Access continues to be a challenge as roads are blocked off, bridges have collapsed and telecommunication lines are down, but we are working as swiftly as possible to reach communities in dire need of support,” says Plan International Nepal’s Shreeram KC, who is currently in Rautahat district, an area heavily affected by the floods.

“When I visited communities, 80% of the land was flooded. Children remained in their wet clothes as their homes were either severely damaged or destroyed. Families were telling us that they had not eaten in days and were worried about the impact that future rains may have on their families and homes,” says KC.

I was worried whether the water would sweep me away.

A large portion of schools based in the affected areas are closed, and are being used as evacuation centres, meaning children may be left on their own and without a safe place to go.

“It is critical that children, particularly those who have lost their homes and personal belongings, receive the counseling and support they need, as well as immediate life-saving items, to ensure their safety, protection and well-being,” says KC.

“I WAS SO SCARED”

Khusbu’s home has been damaged by the flood.

“When I saw the water level rising, I was so scared and worried,” says Khusbu, an 8-year-old girl from Rautahat district. “I had never seen so much water nor the stream nearby my house get so high. I was worried whether the water would sweep me away. My father asked us all to move and carry our personal items to our neighbour’s house. Now, we have no home and I don’t know how long we will have to stay in a [temporary] shelter.”

“We are in the heart of the monsoon season, and any additional or prolonged rainfall will only worsen the situation for families already in vulnerable situations. We will continue to work with government agencies to ensure relief items reach affected families and that they are equipped to withstand the impact of any immediate, future rains,” says KC.

For more than 80 years we’ve been taking action and standing up for every child’s right to fulfil their potential. On a daily basis, our energy is devoted to making a difference for children living in poverty.

We stand up for children’s rights and promote equality for girls. We listen to the children we work with and find the best way forward together. We trust in what we do.

Our approach mixes the practical with the entrepreneurial.

We’re open, accountable and honest. We believe it’s important to share the impact of our work with the people who support us. We are different. We are Plan International.

Plan International Ireland is a member of Dóchas and has adopted its Code of Conduct on Images and Messages.

For more than 80 years we’ve been taking action and standing up for every child’s right to fulfil their potential. On a daily basis, our energy is devoted to making a difference for children living in poverty.

We stand up for children’s rights and promote equality for girls. We listen to the children we work with and find the best way forward together. We trust in what we do.

Our approach mixes the practical with the entrepreneurial.

We’re open, accountable and honest. We believe it’s important to share the impact of our work with the people who support us. We are different. We are Plan International.

Plan International Ireland is a member of Dóchas and has adopted its Code of Conduct on Images and Messages.